GREAT BRITAIN ANNOUNCE STRONG TEAM FOR TRACK WORLDS

Great Britain has announced a powerful team for the world track championships in Majorca at the end of the month, in the hope of winning the highest ever number of world titles and medals.

After some highly competitive but productive training in Manchester, the final team includes triple Athens Olympic medallist Bradley Wiggins who is making his first appearance at the Championships since 2003, Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton (pictured in action at the recent Manchester World Cup), Wendy Houvenhagel, Rebecca Romero and a powerful men?s team pursuit squad. Junior world champions Anna Blyth and Shanaze Reade both step up into the senior squad, as does world silver medallist Jonny Bellis, giving the squad a mix of talent and experience.

Wiggins will be chasing gold in both the individual pursuit and the team pursuit and will ride with a final quartet selected from Ed Clancy, Rob Hayles, Paul Manning, Chris Newton, Geraint Thomas. Hoy will also be looking for double Gold in the kilometre and the team sprint before turning his thoughts to his kilo world record attempt at altitude in May. Other sprinters include Ross Edgar, Craig MacLean and Jamie Staff.

Wendy Houvenhagel will ride the women?s pursuit after setting the second fastest time in the world at Manchester a few weeks ago, while
former Olympic Rowing Silver medallist turned cycling pursuiter, Rebecca Romero, is also among the selections after impressing in training.

Anna Blyth won the women?s Keirin world title at last year’s junior championships, while Shanaze Reade?s title was in the BMX championships. Shanaze raced for the first time at the Manchester World Cup event last month but immediately impressed, winning a silver in the new women?s team sprint event.

Jonny Bellis is the only new name in the men?s squad after securing the place on offer for riders on the after he was selected from the riders in the Olympic Academy endurance programme. He will ride the inaugural men?s omnium race in Palma.

The track world championships will be held on a brand new covered velodrome in Palma between March 29 and April 1. There will be full coverage from the track world cycling championships in Cycling Weekly and live reports daily on cyclingweekly.co.uk.